Summary
Following the release of the entireKingdom Heartsseries on Steam, Square Enix released a video explaining some potential play orders gamers could use to understand its story. Earlier in June,the entireKingdom Heartsseries was brought onto the Steam platformfor the very first time, giving gamers a chance to play through Square Enix’s legendary series on PC. While theKingdom Heartsfranchise was previously released on PC through the Epic Games Store, the decision to make it an exclusive to the platform was met with a mixed reception. Now, fans can playKingdom Heartson the PC platform of their choice.
With the entirety ofKingdom Heartsnow available on Steam, some PC gamers may be unsure of where to start their journey through it.Kingdom Heartsis known for being a series that has an anachronic order, as well as having details and important story beats only being explained in various interquels, prequels, and spin-offs. To combat the potential confusion of which order the series should be played in, Square Enix released a video explaining some potential paths.
The most common suggested order that Square Enix recommends, which is backed up by most fans, is by playing theKingdom Heartsseries in chronological release order. In terms of the collected compilations, that meansKingdom Hearts 1.5+2.5, followed by2.8, and then3. In order, this playthrough sequence would be:KH 1,Re: Chain of Memories,2,358/2 Days,Birth by Sleep,Re: Coded,Dream Drop Distance,X Back Cover,0.2, and then3 + Re:Mind. Not every game mentioned in this order is a game, as358/2 DaysandX Back Coverare movies included in the collection.Birth By Sleepalso has three protagonists with their own storylines, so Square Enix suggests playing in the order of Terra, Ventus, and Aqua, which then unlocks the final episode for that specific game.
Kingdom Hearts Can Be Played Chronologically by Release or Story Order
The other way to experience the franchise, according to Square Enix, is byplaying theKingdom Heartsseries in chronological story order. This order means starting with the prequel content first, like viewing theX Back CoverandDark Roadcontent first, then playingBirth By Sleep, followed by the games starring Sora and his friends. This order helps lay down a lot of plot points and lore that then help flesh out the individual stories later down the line.
At the end of the day, Square Enix notes that there isn’t a “correct” starting point for theKingdom Heartsseries, as one game could be anyone’s first. One player could start withKingdom Hearts 3, for example, as it is the most recent mainline entry, and they may just want to see Sora go on an adventure with Woody and Buzz Lightyear. While the playing order is still a hotly debated topic among fans, this video gives fansa good starting point for getting intoKingdom Hearts.
Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX
WHERE TO PLAY
KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX is an HD remastered collection of 6 unforgettable KINGDOM HEARTS experiences available for the first time on the PlayStation 4.The HD collection features:• KINGDOM HEARTS FINAL MIX• KINGDOM HEARTS Re:Chain of Memories• KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 Days (HD Remastered cinematics)• KINGDOM HEARTS II FINAL MIX• KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep Final MIX• KINGDOM HEARTS Re:coded (HD Remastered cinematics)Key Features• Celebrate 15 years of KINGDOM HEARTS with this essential collection - Remember and relive 6 adventures from KINGDOM HEARTS Dark Seeker Saga before the release of highly anticipated KINGDOM HEARTS III.• Experience the magic of KINGDOM HEARTS - If you are new to the franchise, KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX is the perfect opportunity to start wielding your Keyblade to save the Disney worlds from darkness.
